Energy bill should energize change

Now that the House of Representatives has passed an energy bill with a decreasing cap on greenhouse gas emissions, it’s clear that U.S. businesses need to be thinking seriously about how they will either reduce their carbon emissions or buy offsets to account for their usage.

And it’s also clear that the U.S. telecom and IT industries have to do a better job of showing businesses how more intelligent use of technology can enable them to meet federal standards and improve productivity in the process.

Granted, the bill must still go through the Senate and there is Republican opposition based on concerns that the bill will cost jobs and in some way damage our economy by limiting use of resources such as electricity.

There are studies such as the Smart 20/20 Report that show how using information and communications technologies can reduce the carbon footprint by 20%, but there also is common sense that says telepresence services that keep people off planes, telework solutions that keep cars off freeways and collaboration technologies that let office workers easily work with colleagues in other sites all can have a greater effects on the environment than planting trees or other potential offsets. And these options can boost worker productivity and save money as well.

Yes, this is good business for ICT companies and promises profits in years to come, but it’s a win-win situation for everyone, so no apologies needed there.

E-mail me at carol.wilson@penton.com.